Travelling in and around Paris

[hummel]

We've left a lock on the padlock bridge. View attachment 18724

Even after getting engaged right next to it... we didn't leave a lock!

All the more reason to go back I suppose.

 

[malmacdowall]

I

Questions:
1. what is their public transport like?
2. I want to visit the Eiffel tower (corny I know), are there certain tourist tickets that have to be bought overseas (like the Paris version of US CityPass)? Tips for visiting (no doubt it will be busy)
3. Any suggestions for good views of the city or the Arc de Triomphe?
4. I am taking the Eurostar to London when I leave, any tips on what to do to "prepare" for it? ie should allow a certain amount of time (I am leaving on Sunday mid afternoon), avoid xx area?

Thanks!

Getting around Paris is so easy day and
Night in the Metro network.. If your there for a fortnight , buying a pass for the 2 Weeks is the most hassle free way.

Regarding the Eiffel Tower, I love to take people via the Trocadero Metro stop and walk through Jardins de Trocadero for their first view of the tower... As someone else commented, there are a few great spots to view the lights on the tower, on the hour, at night.

I also reccomend getting the museums pass before you go. Allow plenty of time to visit the Louvre museum. I can also reccomend hiring the headsets for the self guided tours. Really helpful in exploring different areas and appreciating some of the stories behind the art you will see.. BUT don't forget there are many excellent museums around Paris. I justice visiting the Musee D'Orsay , a wonderul collection of impressionists Monet, Manet, Renoir, Van Gogh and much more. It's also an architecturally wonderful building (On old railway station but for the world fair )

Other musts are visiting the markets . Great fresh food available and much cheaper than eating at restaurants. Plenty of people watching too (something else Iove to do)...One of the biggest markets in Paris, the Marché Bastille's food stalls sprawl up the Boulevard Richard Lenoir twice a week...

Also a wander around the top of the Monmartre area , after a visit to Sacre Cour is really fun. The markets and artists in the area are normally open on Sat and Sunday ...

Another great day trip is to head out to Versailles . A really full day of walking and tours.

If you like something different check out the catacombes ...

Secretsofparis.com is a great Paris travel resource and is also ideal if you want a more intimate Customised tour ...

I assume you Eurostar to London leaves from Gare Du Nord. This is also easily reached on the metro system. The station itself is regularly plagued by young gypsy girls begging for money to "get back to thier families".,.

Anyway, I could go on about paris for hours .... These are a few of my favorite things.....

 

[Shorns]

Hi everyone,

Sorry for a bit of a hijack but someone mentioned SIM cards in France. We're there in about a week also and from what i've read SIM cards are a bit of a frustration for some people, we'll be there for a month and really just need one for around a gig of data and the odd phone call/sms, any recommendations for one that gives good coverage (we're travelling around france) and is easy to get hold of?
Cheers
Sean

 

[Pushka]

We hired a tep device which was fabulous. You could use viber to make wifi phone calls for free.

 

[Kangol]

Thanks everyone, found out a friend will be there when I am - the Moulin Rouge was suggested. Any tips/feedback on that?

 

[AvroAnson]

Thanks everyone, found out a friend will be there when I am - the Moulin Rouge was suggested. Any tips/feedback on that?

It's one of those things you have to do, but having done it you wonder why? I thought it was poor value. Very expensive (part of a package deal with Cityrama - best avoided). We had poor seating and poor sightlines being unable to see the whole stage. The show itself was over-long and very repetitive. The semi-nude girls were gorgeous but after a couple of hours one nipple looks much like any other. The magicians, acrobats etc were good to excellent. Nearly all the staff were male and looked like mafiosi - bouncers rather than waiters. The scrum at the cloakroom was unbelievable.

I wouldn't go there again.

 

[drross]

Lido is much the same. Both seem overpriced for what you get. Fat tire tours are excellent.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

. Fat tire tours are excellent.

I have found in Paris that they tend to have USA Uni students as guides who often cannot even speak French or understand the culture.

I have found the other companies with local guides to be better. Bluebikes was good as was Sandemans.

 

[Pollywaffle]

...If you want any restaurant suggestions I am happy to give them though I am much more knowledgeable in the 11th and 12th rather than where you are.

I'd love some restaurant recommendations. On my last few trips I've been staying around the Canal St Martin and the 11th/12th arrs. I am back in the 11th on my next trip.

Even after getting engaged right next to it... we didn't leave a lock!

All the more reason to go back I suppose.

Yes, go back to Paris, but please do not leave a lock. IMO, they are nothing more than vandalism. The locks are wrecking the bridges and people are being stupid enough to throw the keys in the Seine. What do people think will happen with thousands of metal keys in the Seine? There's nothing romantic about this gesture at all...Getting off my soapbox now.

I have found in Paris that they tend to have USA Uni students as guides who often cannot even speak French or understand the culture.

I have found the other companies with local guides to be better. Bluebikes was good as was Sandemans.

Paris Greeters are good and so are London Walks "first and best of the walking tour firms" Fodors

**

On my first visit I could not have missed a trip up the Eiffel Tower but unless you have already bought tickets, I think it's a tough decision to make. The lines are ridiculously long and I would rather spend my time elsewhere. If you can get tickets for a behind the scenes tour, I would go for that because it's interesting. I agree that Tour Montparnasse is a great alternative to the ET. The restaurant there is actually quite good and you could eat dinner there while watching the ET twinkle at night.

The only pass that I found worthy in Paris was the Museum Pass. The caveat is that I love museums and I liked that I could go in and out of museums (including repeat trips) when I felt like. The 'skip the lines' feature sold by many passes is not worth it. Apart from the ET and the line to climb the Notre Dame Towers, I have never found there to be long lines anywhere. Even in the Louvre, ticket lines are never long. You might have to wait a few minutes going through security but that's for everyone - you can't skip to the front here.

Some of my favourite things to do in Paris is to visit the parks and any patch of green. If you are in Paris over the weekend, there is bound to be some classical music combo playing at the Place des Vosges, eating fresh croissants and fresh bread. My favourite croissant place to date is Blé Sucré in the 12th arr.

In the 2nd arr check out Rue Montorgueil. This lovely pedestrian street is filled with food vendors: fishmonger, butcher, cheese shop, deli, fruit & veg, the well known Stohrer patisseire and more.

The list just goes on! Just face the fact you'll need to come back to Paris for another visit.

As for the Eurostar, pack yourselves some snack from the lovely Paris food stores, include a bottle of wine and dine in style while heading to London. You need to go through the formalities within a certain period of time (30mins or 45mins - I can't recall which) but don't go too early. The waiting room is small and if it's busy, they will send you away if you're too early.

 

[turtlemichael]

Ok Pollywaffle, you asked for it.

These are some of the restaurants we have tried and enjoyed around the 11th and 12th in the past month or so. I'll give just some brief info and you, or anyone else, can ask me more questions or do some more research, if interested. We've just got back from a rather merry dinner so if the typing fails I hope you understand.

Good reasonably priced standard French fare.

Chez Margot Bistrot in Blvd Henri IV about 200 metres from Bastille. Friendly, efficient, great profiterolles.

Le Tabarin in Rue Amelot between Blvd Richard Lenoir and Beaumarchais about 100 metres from Bastille. Standard very good French bistro food, friendly and lively with music some nights.

Bistrot du Coin in Av Ledru Rollin abot 300 metres from Bastille. Good service and good quality bistro fare. Nice outdoor area on the street corner. Book through La Fourchette on line and you can save 40% some nights which makes this really good value.

Mid-market, very good value, and quality French dining.

Miel et Paprika in Rue de Cotte off Faubourg Saint-Antoine about 800 metres east of Bastille. Great food, very small and you should book. Our local favourite. Been going there for 3 years.

Temps au Temps in Rue Paul Bert in the 12th. Definitely need to book as tiny but great quality and a good wine list.

Auberge Flora on Blvd Richard Lenoir at the corner of Chemin Vert. Small hotel restaurant, mixture of French tapas and inventive but rich food. We've had lunch and dinner there (the Menu Surprise was filling and excellent). Good value and fun. Again, need to book.

Regalade Conservatoire Another boutique hotel restaurant (Hotel de Nell) on the street in Rue Conservatoire in the 9th. Stylish bistro, superb menu at 35 euros and you defintely need to book. Big favourite.

Cutting edge and very special

These two places are not the total haute cuisine dining experience like Joel de Roubochon but are modern, concentrating on the ingredients and the cooking, and simple. They are not expensive for the quality of the meal. You go for the food.

Roseval in Place Maurice Chevalier in Belleville in the 20th a bit further afield. Down market area, tiny with only 20 places but the best meal we've had in Paris this time. Exciting young English chef. We've booked to go back on our last night. Highly inventive, good service and will have a Michelin star very soon. Set menu, almost no choice but great wine list. The menu was 45 euros or with matched wines it was 70 euros. Best matched wines I've ever had. Need to book by phone say 3 weeks in advance. Loved it.

Septime in Rue de Charonne 200 metres from Bastille. It was named in the San Pelligrino 50 best restaurants in the world this year so bookings are like hen's teeth. Great waiting staff, inventive and exciting menu and great value for lunch particularly. Dinner is carte blanche, so the chef chooses, but you can tell them what you don't eat. Wonderful experience. You can book on line but it always seems to have no room in our experience. We found by phoning (in English) between 3.00pm and 6.00pm Paris time, you can get a table about 3 weeks in advance. We'll worth it.

Hope this is helpful. We are going to Bones on Tuesday and that is promising to be a highlight.

I guess you can tell I like Paris and its food!

Have a good trip here.

 

[Pollywaffle]

Ok Pollywaffle, you asked for it.

Merci beaucoup, mon ami.

This list is much appreciated...although I won't be there for several more months.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Apologies for not mentioning this earlier since there may not be time now, but do see if you can get a copy of Hungry for Paris: The Ultimate Guide to the City's 102 Best Restaurants: Alexander Lobrano: 9780812976830: Amazon.com: Books

One of the best modern books on Paris food around.

Also install La Forchette (also called The Fork on some sites) on your phone. We've used this extensively for booking restaurants in Paris and France. It also shows specials and availability. If you can't get ion the phone (you may need a UK iTunes acct) then you can access via the web.

If you have time, do try Le Train Bleu - the last of the great Belle Époque train restaurants.

'Happy Eating', Pollywaffle!

 

[NFF]

Is it easy to get around Paris without the ability to speak French ?

 

[amaroo]

Is it easy to get around Paris without the ability to speak French ?

Very easy......just start and end conversations with the basics and you'll find yourself enjoying the city like a local.

FWIW they like Australians - not so much the English.....always good to make the distinction.

 

[Rox]

As long as you know where you want to go, the metro is far more user friendly than Melbourne (and I live here, ) but that's not saying much. Get a map of Paris plus a map of the metro - all the lines are colour coded and each platform is dedicated to one line . You don't need a timetable as they come every few minutes anyway. All you need to know is which line do you want, and the name of the final station, so you get on the one going in the right direction. - plus which one to get off, of course!
I vaguely remember reading that when the metro was built, it was designed so nowhere (in old paris anyway - i haven't been out of that) was no further than 800 m from a metro.
It's a bit like an underground honeycomb and you can pop up anywhere like a gopher!
The first time I was there I got a multi day pass that covered buses as well, - I don't know if they still exist.

 

[boylero]

Hire a bike and get lost, wasnt our intention but loved every minute of it

 

[ellen10]

Love Paris, sigh!
Metro is fabulous, and walking is even better!

 

[OATEK]

Love Paris, sigh!
Metro is fabulous, and walking is even better!

I use the Paris Visite tickets, that give you Bus, Metro and RER. So then you walk, and when you feel like you are going to drop you hop a bus. I leave the metro for when I want to get somewhere quickly. Paris by bus is second best to Paris on foot.

 

[burmans]

Hire a bike and get lost, wasnt our intention but loved every minute of it

The actually have the Velib scheme where you can get the bikes for free for about 7E for 7 days and you can use for 1/2 hour at a time.

Paris - Vélib' - vélos en libre-service à Paris - Site Officiel

1/2 hour sounds short but there are staions all around the city so you can hire for 1/2 hour drop it off and then get another (or even the same bike) back out again. But we ususally foudn 1/2 hours was good interspersed with time to waklk around, visit museum/shops and stop for food & drink. Extra 1/2 hour is 1 euro so not really a big deal.

 

[BadgerBoi]

Is it easy to get around Paris without the ability to speak French ?

pro-tip - when you enter a shop be sure to say "bonjour monsieur/madame". Doesn't matter how poor your accent is, you'll be treated well.